YPSILANTI, Mich. – Nick Crandell dealt seven-and-a-third sparkling innings of relief, but a five-run first inning proved to be the difference, as Western Michigan dropped a 7-4 decision at Eastern Michigan on Friday afternoon in the opener of the two teams' four-game weekend series.
FINAL SCORE: Eastern Michigan 7, Western Michigan 4
LOCATION: Oestrike Stadium (Ypsilanti, Mich.)
RECORDS: Western Michigan (4-16, 2-5 MAC) | Eastern Michigan (9-13, 5-4 MAC)
W: Zach Fruit (3-2)
| L: Jack Huisman (0-4)
After EMU tallied five runs in the first, Crandell came in and shut the door on the Eagles' offense for much of the rest of the contest. The right-hander yielded two runs on eight hits, did not walk a batter, and induced four double plays while picking up a pair of strikeouts. The sophomore's seven-and-a-third innings marked his longest outing as a Bronco, and the longest by any Western Michigan pitcher so far in 2022.
The quartet of
Connor Charping,
Gavin Doyle,
Dylan Nevar and
Cade Sullivan each recorded a multi-hit game for WMU. Doyle also drew a pair of walks to reach four times for the afternoon. Nevar drove in a pair for Western Michigan, while Charping came around to score twice.
Trailing 6-0, Western Michigan tallied its first run of the contest in the sixth inning on a Nevar RBI single.
After the Eagles responded with a run in the home half to push the margin back to six, Charping and Sullivan each brought in a run in the seventh, trimming the gap to 7-3.
Still facing a four-run deficit in the ninth and down to its final out, the Broncos stayed alive on Nevar's second run-scoring knock of the afternoon. Nevar's base hit trimmed the margin to three and brought the tying run to the plate.
Josh Swinehart came to the dish for WMU and ripped a line drive into shallow right-center field, but a diving catch ended the threat and sealed the game for Eastern Michigan.
The Broncos and Eagles are slated to continue their four-game weekend series with a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon. First pitch for game one is set for 1 pm.
